This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features refurbishment of resort’s suites and guestrooms by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, LW Design.
Le Royal Meridien Club Tower is one of the most premium resorts in the United Arab Emirates. As an incredible height of luxury, it has solidified itself as one of the major attractions in the beautiful city of Dubai. LW design received an offer to work on many of the guestrooms and suites at Le Royal Meridien Club Tower, and our team took the offer in stride.
Despite being constructed and decorated beautifully, Le Royal Meridien Club Tower was looking for a much lighter and softer touch to their rooms. Specifically, something that would better resonate with the luxurious beachside feeling of the view outside the rooms, and LW Design team of designers knew exactly what to change in those rooms, so they felt all the more inviting.
SBID Awards Category: Hotel Bedrooms & Suites
Practice: LW Design
Project: Le Royal Meridien Club Tower
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The client brief stated that Le Royal Meridien Club Tower was looking to refurbish the suites and the guestrooms in a way that would keep the overall feel and look of the main tower intact. The brief also mentioned that the rooms should have a beach-like vibe to them, further emphasizing it as the premium holiday destination. The tower stood tall among the many skyscrapers of the city, which means that every visitor would have a great view of the city and the beach. Therefore, much of our team’s efforts would go into subtly solidifying that summer holiday feel.
The LW design team that was overlooking this particular refurbishing project understood that there were limitations as far as creativity was concerned. They had to bring the right beachside touches to the rooms while keeping the overall aesthetic of the Club Tower. Despite being a challenging task, it was a test of design potential, and LW Design definitely emerged victoriously.
The Club Tower project was unique because of its circumstances and different requirements – the brief emphasized that the rooms have to appear much lighter and more welcoming, with a feminine yet modern touch.
The narrowed down criteria of soft, light, feminine, and modern, saved the designers a lot of time and helped them jump straight to the crux of the project. The team decided that they would use lighter timber around the room that would help reflect more natural light towards the centre. This accentuates some details while highlighting others, such as the natural rattan, which was among the materials to give a luxurious yet sustainable aesthetic. The room also features subtle blush pink accents throughout to create a feeling of feminine comfort.
As with any project that LW Design takes over, there came a few obstacles when refurbishing the many guestrooms and suites of Le Royal Meridian Club Tower. One physical challenge was the incredible lack of space in the bathroom.
Since the bathrooms were much smaller, it was considerably harder to give it that lavish look and feel. However, with the help of a sliding door between the shower area and the bathroom, the team was able to make the bathrooms feel more spacious and luxurious without having to compromise much.
What makes this project special is simply the clever use of standard finishes. These gave the rooms a much-deserved lavish feel while still keeping the design style in line with the main hotel and guest rooms. Moreover, the team contrasted white oak timber against the black metal, which complimented the blush pink and turquoise colours.
Overall, the Le Royal Meridian Club Tower was an exciting venture for the LW Design portfolio. The unique look of the rooms and the precise requirements of the project made it one of their finest works to date.
It is always an exciting experience to enter awards, however given the calibre of work and entries into these global awards, it makes it even more special.
Questions answered by Jacqueline Craft, Senior Interior Designer, LW Design.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a unique Adidas office design by Oktra, click here to read it.
A global industry leader in luxury custom-made carpets and rugs, Melbourne-based TSAR Carpets is pleased to introduce the new Forma Collection, an expansive series of high concept, hand-tufted floor coverings that set a new high-watermark in rug design and manufacturing techniques. Available from August 2021, the collection will be sold exclusively at TSAR’s studios in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, London, and Shanghai.
Featuring original, never-before-seen textures, colour combinations and inspired patterns, the collection explores the themes of energy and optimism — blurring the lines of applied design and fine art. The investigation of organic motifs; meticulous textures and fibre combinations; new layering techniques; and seamless gradient transitions by TSAR Carpets’ in-house team of talented designers has resulted in a mesmerising collection teeming with playful expression.
“The goal was to create designs that exemplify and embody the dawn of a new beginning,” says Teresa Ceberek, TSAR Carpets Design Manager. “The word ‘forma’ is a playful nod to the imaginative and uplifting shapes in each of the rug’s patterns, as well as the abstract silhouettes of the rugs themselves.”
The collection was designed over the last twelve months during COVID-19 lockdown — a time in which each member of the design team found themselves going on solitary daily walks around their respective neighbourhoods. These moments of meditative excursion inspired the collection’s incorporation of natural textures and patterns, including cracked earth formations and moss growing on rocks. The design process provided a source of escapism during a dark and challenging time, which is evident in the collection’s use of dazzling and vibrant colours and exaggerated forms.
“Mixing natural references and surreal compositions is a direct reflection of our collective headspace at the time of the collection’s conception,” says Ceberek.
In addition to being the largest TSAR Carpets collection to date, Forma also represents the first time the company has employed refined fading techniques to achieve new gradients, as well as the first time TSAR has utilised ribbon yarn as a material to create sculptural rug dimensions. TSAR owns and controls the entire manufacturing process, which provides unparalleled control over quality and ensures each piece meets the most stringent of standards.
“Due to the success and popularity of our previous textural collections, including Saltwater and Lagoon, the team experimented with new construction and fade techniques to produce never before seen textures, patterns and fibre combinations that push the limits of virtuosic hand-tufted rug manufacturing,” says Ceberek.
TSAR Carpets partnered with Melbourne-based stylist and art director Nat Turnbull to bring the collection to life. Nat was able to visually capture the new and experimental textures that TSAR Carpets developed through captivating, energetic and highly stylised vignettes— reflective of the brand’s affinity for quality design.
Each incredibly durable rug found in the Collection is hand-tufted from the finest grade of 100% New Zealand wool, undyed wool, Tencel, ribbon yarn, and Lurex, which is a type of shiny, light-reflecting yarn that features metallic properties. Each design has gone through many rounds of sampling to achieve the intended outcome.
Specification, colours and design scale can also be altered to suit any project. The collection is available in 25 different patterns and colourways.
About Tsar Carpets
TSAR Carpets is a Melbourne-based design brand with over 30 years of expertise in the manufacturing of luxury custom carpets and rugs. A family-owned business founded by David and Kerrie Sharpley, it is now a global company recognised for its passion for textiles and its profound knowledge of the hand-tufted technique. TSAR delivers bespoke floor coverings for high-end residential, hospitality, and commercial environments worldwide.
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Dentsu Hong Kong is an international advertising company which strives to create the best solutions and services, and unlock new opportunities for their customers.
Responding to the client’s brief, Crosstec International Ltd has renovated the office of a total of 23,640 sq. ft. with two floors in the heart of the City in Hong Kong. They designed a spacious open office with a feel of unity over the entire floor in order to introduce vitality to the workspace and enhance staff interaction.
The office floor is divided into the three main zones: workstation, town hall and cafeteria. Since an open plan layout was applied, it was essential to tackle the noise disturbance within the functional areas. In order to do so, the areas’ locations were determined based on the level of noisiness – the pantry is located at the top-left corner, the furthest distance from the workstation where silence is required. The town hall, which is located between the pantry and the workstation, plays the role of a separator. The conference rooms are located at the window side with glass partition in order to bring in more natural light across the whole floor.
The client emphasized that communication and interaction are the core values of the company. To facilitate the communication between co-workers, break-out areas and conference rooms are scattered all over the story. The main entrance is always open during office hours to welcome business partners.
In order to represent the dynamic working environment of Dentsu Hong Kong the spatial design concept of “Work in Progress” is applied. Industrial approach is used at the reception area to give visitors a workshop impression, which highlights that Dentsu Hong Kong provides a one-stop solution to their clients.
The area connected to the reception is the “Town Hall” – a place which aims to enhance internal communication by encouraging the staff to have meetings and share ideas. As per the client’s wish, this space has a seating capacity of one hundred. In addition, an open pantry provides even more interaction opportunities between co-workers.
Across the overall office design, biophilia is applied to stimulate natural and casual atmosphere, which is enhanced through the wooden elements of the interior. The open plan layout minimizes visual blockage, which allows natural light to come through the whole space.
About Crosstec International Ltd
Crosstec Group Holdings Limited is a one-stop provider of interior design solutions; the majority of their clients are global luxury goods and high-end fashion brands with retail stores across the world. According to Frost & Sullivan, they are the largest Hong Kong-based luxury retail interior designer in terms of revenue in 2015. They serve a global client base in various parts of the world including Hong Kong, China, the United States, Europe, Middle East and other Asian countries.
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When the owners of Thimbleby Shooting Ground turned to Rachel McLane Ltd for the interior of their new clubhouse they were looking for a longlasting and empathic design that reflected the Thimbleby Estate’s rural traditions in a homely, memorable and practical fashion.
“The clubhouse is the heart and soul of any sporting club and Thimbleby Shooting Ground is no exception,” said Rachel McLane, whose team have turned Thimbleby’s new architect-designed timber frame shell from one big open space into a multi-purpose facility where unique spaces are clearly defined by function.
Thimbleby is one of the country’s premier shooting grounds, open six days a week and with a committed and passionate customer base who use the clubhouse as a place to relax, eat, drink and socialise after a round of shooting.
Rachel McLane’s designs enhanced the building’s blend of classic and contemporary styling – with plenty of glass in a light airy interior – to deliver a modern take on a traditional clubhouse.
“We wanted the interior design to break up that large open space into smaller areas for dining, hospitality, reception, retail and gun room, giving the clubhouse a personality that would suit individual patrons as well as shooting parties and functions. This demanded we had to use space creatively with designs that were innovative and empathic not just with the cabinetry and case goods but the fixtures and fittings.”
One shining example of this is the hanging light shades that echo the look, colour and shape of spent gun casings that will not only be immediately familiar to patrons but also add a touch of theatre to a cavernous roof space.
Layers of cladding, panels, timber, tiles, polished plaster and paint added new texture and colours to break up the uniformity of single-space walls, and removable bespoke banquet seating allows Thimbleby’s clubhouse to be used by members as a function suite. A cafe-style display cabinet and proper serving counter took the place of a single food servery hatch which was removed.
“There were a few quite big changes to accommodate from the original specification,” added Rachel, “including the reception, retail area, WCs and gun room which all sat rather uncomfortably together in the entrance.”
This layout obstacle was solved by installing a new internal wall in the reception area separating it from the WC doorways while also clearly delineating the new retail space and enabling better display of goods and where people can walk. It was also agreed to bring inside the new building an originally proposed external terrace to create an indoor snug area with a new fireplace.
“Although a combination of the pandemic and Brexit made sourcing some of the building materials tricky we have been able to keep the project pretty much on time with the only delays from the design changes necessary to suit the building,” said Rachel.
“With a job like this, one of the most pleasing aspects is being able to work with an original building vision by a great architect, expert craftsmen, construction professionals and owners to come up with a design vision that can be successfully realised together.”
Thimbleby’s director Andrew Shelley says that right from the first project discussions Rachel and her team clearly understood their vision for the clubhouse. “Now the building is complete and being used on a daily basis, not only are we delighted with the finished result, but more importantly, our customers are enjoying the space,” said Mr Shelley.
“Rachel delivered an attractive, functional, flexible and comfortable clubhouse. Starting from an empty shell, her design made a huge difference. Importantly, this was not an open cheque book vanity project, this was a commercial venture and needed to be delivered on budget and in good time which she achieved.
“The team was outstanding and it was a real pleasure to see their skills employed. Throughout the final fit out Rachel and her team worked together creatively and cost effectively to solve problems – I am pretty sure none of them had ever designed or manufactured a gun showroom before, but the end result was outstanding.”
Mr Shelley continues: “I am starting to understand the difference design can make and pleased to report that Rachel and her team delivered a clubhouse and retail space that our customers will enjoy for many years – I suspect most of them will not be aware, but much of this was achieved through Rachel’s great design.”
About Rachel McLane
After graduating Middlesex University with a BA(Hons) in Interior Architecture, Rachel enhanced her experience by designing for the retail sector for eight years in London and York. This involved designing interiors for clients with commercial interests, allowing her to specialise in spatial circulation, retail display and detailed finishes. With Rachel’s reputation for attention to detail and customer satisfaction, the business has expanded, taking on more clients. There is now a small team to assist and support Rachel, who remains fully involved in the detail of each project and ensures the team shares her guiding principles and professional ethos.
The creative industries will benefit from Government support thanks to a new package of measures announced at an event hosted by the Department for International Trade (DIT) on Monday 20th September.
The event brings together business leaders from the UK’s creative industries to celebrate their export success and encourage more businesses in these fields to take advantage of the opportunities to sell their world class goods and services globally. It is part of DIT’s new ‘Made in Britain, Sold to the World’ campaign, that provides practical export help and encourages the nation to take pride in our exporters.
From fashion to film, the UK is home to some of the world’s leading creative talent, exporting £37.9 billion in 2019. With global demand increasing, our creative industries are one of the UK’s export success stories.
Minister for Exports Mike Freer said: ‘The UK’s creative industries are a force to be reckoned with. We create, write, produce and code amazing products, and sell them to the world. The nation can be proud of our creative industries exporters, and the jobs they create in our economy.’
‘Along with the trade deals we’re striking, we are committed to helping our creative businesses fulfil their potential on the world stage, fuelling sustainable growth for British businesses and creating new jobs in every region and nation of the UK.’
Demand internationally is growing for the UK products, particularly in Asia with the region set to be home to the 66% of the global middle classes be 2030, hungry for high-quality British goods and services.
DIT has an array of existing support for budding exporters, who supported 6.5 million jobs across the UK in 2016. DIT is developing an ambitious cross-government Export Strategy to drive an economic recovery and level up the entire country, which will be published later this year.
About Department for International Trade DIT secure UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade.
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Silestone® by Cosentino, the leading global hybrid mineral surface for the world of architecture and design, presents Sunlit Days, the first carbon neutral collection in the quartz surfaces and engineered stone industry.
This milestone demonstrates the brand’s commitment to sustainability and highlights the excellent environmental management that the Cosentino Group has been carrying out for years. To reach this new milestone in the industry, Cosentino commits to offsetting the CO² emissions of the entire life cycle of the Silestone® Sunlit Days series. To this end, the company relies on different voluntary offsetting projects, duly certified and in the framework of the Voluntary Carbon Market. This initiative is also complemented by a partnership programme for the preservation of the seabed.
Sunlit Days is a collection of five colours inspired by the Mediterranean, the connection with nature and, above all, colour, the distinguishing feature that has made Silestone® a distinctive leader in the industry since its inception. Sunlit Days is a journey through light and colour, with a fresh style and Mediterranean tones, inspired by human values and simple and profound ways of living.
Faro White, Cincel Grey, Arcilla Red, Cala Blue and Posidonia Green are more than just the names of these five colours. They are stories, experiences and expressions. They are a tribute to the way of life of real people who have found their true essence by the Mediterranean.
Faro White represents the white of the Mediterranean and its sun-drenched walls, symbolising purity, simplicity and serenity. Inspired by the lighthouses that point the way for ships, this colour is also characterised by a silky, smooth texture. Faro White is a hymn for life loving people.
Cincel Grey is a fine-grained, silky grey, a shade that performs at its best when bathed in light. It is neutral and versatile, balanced between warm and cool. Its soft texture is captivating.
The Mediterranean breathes fire, and blood seems to flow in some parts of its geography. This is just what Arcilla Red is, an earthy red shade that makes you fall in love, tastes like wine and smells of petrichor. Essence, burst of colour, strength, passion and a lot of character. Its soft texture blends harmoniously with its beauty.
Talking about the Mediterranean means talking about the sea, its breeze, its vastness and its infinite horizon. Cala Blue is a deep and sophisticated blue colour that vibrates with the rest of the elements that surround it. Its texture feels like the caress of the sea.
The treasure of the Mediterranean Sea gives its name to this green colour that conveys the beauty of the Posidonia meadows. Energy, joy and nature come together in this proposal ready to surprise, ready to hypnotise. Its soft and delicate texture is complemented by this harmonious shade, ready to conquer.
Sunlit Days is a collection created with the exclusive and pioneering HybriQ® technology by Silestone®. This new production process is characterised by the company’s commitment to the environment, the circular economy and sustainable management. The manufacturing process of Silestone® with HybriQ+ uses 99% reused water from the production processes, 100% renewable electric energy and a minimum of 20% recycled raw materials in its composition.
Furthermore, HybriQ+ technology stands out for the new formula used in the manufacture of Silestone®, which significantly reduces the presence of crystalline silica. Instead, a hybrid formula made up of mineral raw materials and materials of a recycled origin is used. With this new composition, the outstanding mechanical and technical performance and timeless beauty of Silestone® remain intact.
About Cosentino
Cosentino Group is a global, Spanish, family-owned company that produces and distributes high value innovative surfaces for the world of design and architecture. It works together with its clients and partners to provide with solutions that offer design and value, and inspire the life of many people.
Shared workspace provider Clockwise has arrived in the capital with expansive new offices in the Wood Green area of North London to provide an alternative location for city workers and businesses.
Measuring 32,000 sq. ft across five floors, the bright, airy offices feature two rooftop terraces with stunning views of Alexandra Palace, and plenty of event spaces, breakout areas and kitchenettes.
Designed to support the differing working methods brought on by the pandemic, Clockwise Wood Green is comprised of 664 desks, with technology to support hybrid teams and a range of spaces to work in, from meeting rooms to lounges.
Working with leading architect Hawkins\Brown and SBID Accredited fit-out specialists Portview, the shared offices took inspiration from the surrounding area and local community by incorporating abstract artwork from neighbourhood artists into the design.
Referencing the green spaces of Alexandra Park, Clockwise Wood Green has adopted a biophilic aesthetic with a statement ‘living wall’ of plants spanning the full height of the central atrium. By breathing oxygen into the surrounding spaces, the ample use of flowers and foliage help to promote a healing, peaceful working environment, which in turn improves memory, cognitive function and productivity.
Portview worked closely with Hawkins/Brown to design an intricate framing system that enabled them to manufacture the large garden trellis offsite, so the living wall could be transported and installed quickly, seamlessly and without complication.
Portview Contracts Director, Sean McEvoy said: “It’s been a really rewarding project to work on, particularly during a time when the role and design of future workspaces is being reimagined across the industry. Hawkins/Brown have already paved the way in this sector by designing a workspace that will appeal to both current and future generations, where wellbeing, sustainability and flexible working take centre stage.
“By collaborating with the client and design team, we were able to come up with innovative fit-out solutions to achieve their project aspirations and realise their vision. This includes establishing closed-loop solutions that reduced waste and benefitted the local community by either restoring, recycling, donating or repurposing old materials that otherwise would have ended up in landfill.
“We’re hugely proud of what we have achieved here and have no doubt people will love working in the space as much as we enjoyed building it.”
To reduce carbon emissions, the redevelopment of the building focused on retaining its original character, whilst adding a new design aesthetic. To do this, Portview stripped the building back to its original steel and concrete core and refurbished the interior with post-modern finishes to reference those who originally inhabited the building.
The new design aesthetic boasts playful geometric shapes and an earthy colour palette of pastel and teal tones to give the offices a fresh and domestic feel, as embodied by a statement reception area which has been finished in bespoke cream and pale terrazzo.
Retaining the existing building and some of the original services helped to reduce carbon emissions throughout the fit-out, while furniture and finishes were sourced from sustainable suppliers to help achieve BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standards.
Chief Operating Officer of Clockwise, Alex Brunner said: “What’s really special about this building is the design and the high level of finish. It involved Hawkins/Brown, Portview and ourselves jointly believing in the same vision to create workspaces that really function within our needs as human beings. It’s a home for work. As simple as that.”
About Portview
Portview is a leading fit-out specialist that has been transforming ambitious design concepts into reality since 1975. With teams covering the whole of the UK and Ireland, Portview manages projects of all shapes and sizes, including major refurbishment and roll-out contracts. Services include design development, planning approval, technical surveys, project management, contracting and fit-out.
About Clockwise
Clockwise provide well-designed, contemporary private offices, shared workspaces and meeting rooms with brilliantly flexible membership plans. They zero in on the details, so users can zoom out to the big picture. Clockwise make sure everything works, so users can do their best work.
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EPISODE TWO: The Future of Workplace
Following on from the last episode on the hospitality industry, this online panel in collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects explored the future of the workplace. Hosted by SBID’s founder & CEO, Vanessa Brady, the series intends to examine the new definitions of interior space and the consequential impact on the people who commission, design and use them.
With the two areas most affected by the pandemic being ‘work’ and ‘home’, and as their traditionally segregated contexts were challenged while the demand for a hybrid work/live space evolved, the guest speakers addressed how their boundaries have blurred and what the future might hold for these fast-changing environments.
Arjun Kaicker | Co-Head of Zaha Hadid Architects Analytics & Insights
Arjun has worked with ZHA since 2015. He co-leads ZHA’s Analytics & Insights (A&I) in-house research and development team, which applies algorithmic modelling and ‘big data’ analytics to optimise workplace architectural designs, including for wellbeing and operational efficiency. Arjun previously founded and led the Foster+Partners Workplace and Strategic Consultancy division (for 14 years), where he developed strategy and design for 200+ design projects in 50+ countries. Arjun also previously worked as a workplace consultant and designer at Morgan Lovell and at the London International Financial Futures & Options Exchange.
Juergen Junker | Head of A&D Development for Vitra
Juergen has been with Vitra for almost 15 years in various roles. Over time he specialised in collaboration with the architectural and design partners, the associated design of work spaces, their dynamics and continuous development. Over the last 20 months, as the world switched to remote, Juergen started focusing on lectures, digital format conversations and discussions, while working on the outreach to bring people back together in the analog realm.
Bidisha Sinha | Senior Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects
Bidisha finished her first degree in New Delhi before moving to London for her Masters at the Architectural Association. She has had an architectural career spanning over 18 years, delivering projects in India, UK and Hong Kong. In her role within Zaha Hadid Architects, over the last 15 years she has personally delivered projects which have made a positive difference to the revitalization agenda of the programs that were associated with them.
Cover image credits: Project by Zaha Hadid Architects
Michael Caines’ much-anticipated new casual hospitality concept – Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant – has officially opened on Exmouth beach. With stunning panoramic views across the Devon coastline and up through the Exe Estuary, the venue sits in harmony with its surroundings, having been brought to life by interior designers, Design Command.
A landmark opening for Michael – Chef Owner of Michelin starred Lympstone Manor – this casual bar and restaurant offers a relaxed space for drinking and dining and is a welcome addition to the Michael Caines Collection. Across the backdrop of the Exmouth shoreline, Mickeys boasts spacious seating outdoors and a retractable glass terrace, as well as a bright indoor restaurant and bar with booths and cosy corners for cocktails and casual fare.
Inspired by the lively beach bars in Ibiza and Greece, Design Command have designed the interiors of both Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant as places to relax and unwind by the coast, evoking an overall sense of escapism.
Due to the proximity to Exmouth beach and its recognition as a place of outstanding natural beauty, it was imperative that Mickeys celebrated this notion through sustainable design choices. As such, environmentally low-impact products are used throughout. The tiles are made from 98% recycled material and reclaimed timber cladding has been used for the restaurant’s showcase ceiling and sunbeam feature wall.
It was of equal importance to utilise local businesses in the sourcing of design elements, with many of the lighting features, planting areas, table caddies and interior artworks all produced in the area. Continuing the sustainable ethos throughout the property, Mickeys has committed to reducing single-use plastics, sourcing products and packaging that are biodegradable and utilising the most local produce available to reduce carbon emissions.
On the ground floor, Mickeys Bar has found home, offering a more casual dining and drinking affair. Here, the layout has been designed to give the impression of being in the open air. Outdoor chairs combined with soft seating that has been upholstered in comfortable outdoor fabrics feature throughout. A tonal blue and white colour palette has been used to compliment the surroundings and create a feeling of calm, whilst pops of orange add vibrancy. Bamboo ceilings matched with the combination of both polished and textured natural stone make up the statement beach bar statement.
Connecting the two floors is a sand-coloured metal staircase, adorned with a statement rope chandelier. The metal finish featured here and throughout both the bar and restaurant have various patina effects applied to echo the non-polished finishes found along the coast.
Upstairs in the restaurant, the scene is bold and bright as the design looks to intertwine with the sweeping views across the bay. As such, the seating layout has been designed to maximise the views of the beach and lighting features throughout reflect the nautical through the use of linen, rope and weathered metal. With the adjacent terrace, Design Command opted for outdoor paving on the floor and the walls are clad in decorative framed mirrors to reflect the stunning views. A combination of interior and exterior furniture was chosen in this space to add extra comfort whilst dining beachside. In addition, the retractable roof opens up to provide a sumptuous al-fresco experience for all guests to enjoy, whatever the weather.
Together, Design Command and Michael Caines hope that guests are truly delighted by the design of Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant, whether they are visiting for the first time, tenth time or simply passing by.
About Design Command Design Command is an award winning London & Hertfordshire based Interior Architecture Studio founded in 2013 by Clare McDonald. Over 13 years Clare’s projects included designing for 5 star hotels and more recently over 50 restaurants as well as Student Hotels, high-end residential schemes and Boutique offices. Since its inception, Design Command has quickly grown to several designers working on restaurants and hotels across the United Kingdom and Europe.
Design Havens for Heroes is a charity initiative launched by interior designer Francesca Rowan Plowden (pictured) in the spring of this year, designed to bring together an inspiring community of talent from the interior design field.
The aim is to create room makeover “havens” for accredited NHS key workers who have been working on the front line during the Covid-19 crisis, and who will undoubtedly need the benefit of rest and calm in their own homes, after the fall out of dealing with the emotional and physical demands of tackling the pandemic.
Design Havens for Heroes is a collective formed from a broad range of leading interior designers, high profile suppliers, as well as skilled makers and tradesmen such as curtain makers and decorators who are happy to donate their time, skills, experience and products to the cause. From these offers of help, Francesca is working to build teams to work together to create these ‘Havens’ for the frontline NHS heroes. Currently followers to the Instagram account are being encouraged to nominate or tag a deserving NHS worker as the charity team prepare for these collaborative project partnerships with interior designers and supporting brands.
Leading fabric, wallpaper, paint and furniture brands such as Colefax & Fowler, William Yeoward, Designer’s Guild, Matthew Williamson, Tom Dixon, Lewis & Wood, Blithfield, De Gournay, Fromental, The Design Archives, Farrow & Ball, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, The Little Greene Paint Company, Neptune, Sofa.com, Ventura Design, Pooky Lighting and Matthew Williamson are all on board, as well as smaller niche businesses such as Otto Tiles, Zoe Glencross and Henley Kille Joinery. They will work alongside a growing pool of interior design talent which includes names such as Ben Pentreath, Sophie Patterson, Kate Guinness, Salvesen Graham, Fiona Duke and Julia Alexander, as well as Ambassadors for the charity which include designers Nina Campbell and Gabriella Blackman, interior journalists Kerryn Harper-Cuss and Michelle Ogundehin, style writer Kate Watson-Smyth and a raft of high profile influencers such as Paula Sutton of Hill House Vintage, Sophie Stanbury and Amy Davies Pereira of Little House in London. Using her theatrical contacts, Francesca has also appointed actors Dominic Cooper and Tamzin Outhwaite to help her design a room makeover, with Dame Twiggy Lawson appointed patron of the charity.
The aim is to develop the charity over the next few months so that it can be a source of inspiration for NHS workers for when the crisis is over and bring the interior design community together in a shared cause. “I felt as the crisis unfolded there was something I really wanted to do to help in a creative way and with my background it felt the most helpful thing I could do “explains Francesca. “I have been overwhelmed by the response from suppliers, big and small as well as the interior designers that have come forward to offer their services.” The aim is to develop and consolidate the charity over the next few months so that it can be a source of inspiration for NHS workers going forward.
More Information
To nominate a NHS staff member or keyworker that would benefit from a room makeover after lockdown, you just need to visit the Design Haven for Heroes Instagram page, tag the nominee in the comments of any post, or email [email protected]. To make one off donations toward supporting the charity a Donation page has also been set up, and for daily updates visit www.designhavensforheroes.org.uk
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